Coalition reaches out on Twitter

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence hosted a statewide Tweet Chat on Feb. 25 from 4 to 5 p.m. in an effort to encourage healthy relationships.

Discussions about healthy behaviors and warning signs of unhealthy relationships equip young people with the skills they need to identify abusive situations. Participating local students included those from Rhode Island high schools, youth groups like Young Voices, and colleges, including the Johnson & Wales Gender Equity Center, who hosted the Tweet Chat for a second time.

Through the Twitter forum, these young people, and other coalition partners in the movement to end dating and domestic violence, helped raise awareness about relationship abuse and define what healthy love is for their communities.

Rhode Island youth also shared depictions of healthy love in February through the coalition’s #KNOWwhatloveis Instagram contest. The Tweet Chat served as a forum for announcing the contest winners and honorable mentions. Having asked Rhode Islanders between the ages of 12 and 24 to illustrate what healthy love is to them via Instagram photo submissions, the coalition, its Public Awareness Working Group and Sisters Overcoming Abusive Relationships, a task force of dating and domestic violence survivors, selected three winning photos out of almost 200 submissions.

The #NOMORERI Tweet Chat and #KNOWwhatloveis Instagram Contest were part of the the coalition’s ongoing digital strategy to reach youth where they spend a lot of their free time – online. Digital dating violence, including abuse perpetrated via social media platforms, is increasingly common among youth in Rhode Island.

Through this digital campaign strategy, the coaliton aims to educate young Rhode Islanders about their own power to help end and prevent dating and domestic violence in Rhode Island.

To support dating violence prevention, individuals can text NOMORE to 80880 to give.

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